AWI Quarterly » 2012 Spring

The numbers are extremely bleak: bats in 20 states are now affected by white-nose syndrome (WNS) or the associated fungus, and the estimated death toll was recently revised upward to a staggering 5.7 million (or more) bats.

The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and 99 other groups in 35 states formally petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in March to regulate toxic lead in hunting ammunition to protect public health and prevent the widespread poisoning of eagles, California condors, and other wildlife.

During a six-week period in January and February, a brazen and well-organized gang of poachers slaughtered at least half of the roughly 400 resident savannah elephants in Cameroon’s Bouba N’Djida National Park.

Like some three-headed monster from a classic Japanese horror movie, a trio of proposed pipeline projects would stream what has become known as “the world’s dirtiest oil” out of northeastern Alberta’s infamous Athabasca tar sands—posing a major threat to North American wildlife, marine and terrestrial.

David Ausband and Mike Mitchell of the Montana Wildlife Cooperative Research Unit were recipients of a Christine Stevens Wildlife Award to study the effectiveness of “biofencing”—natural scent barriers—to keep wolves away from livestock and out of harm’s way.

This past year has brought heightened attention to a very special class of veteran—the Military Working Dog (MWD)—especially when it was reported that an MWD was part of the team that rousted out Osama Bin Laden!

Taking advantage of the opportunity to testify before Congressional committees as they begin to determine spending levels for Fiscal Year 2013 (beginning October 2012), AWI asked for continued support for the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Animal Cruelty and Animal Fighting Initiative,

In March, AWI staff led efforts on several animal protection measures before the Illinois General Assembly. HB 1607—a bill to prohibit tail docking of cattle, the inhumane practice of partially amputating the animals' tails—was approved by the House Business and Occupational Licenses Committee.

A new rule proposed by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) would allow round-the-clock hunting of coyotes and feral pigs throughout North Carolina. Hunting under cover of darkness with the use of artificial lights, as well as hunting on private land using archery equipment, would be permitted under this proposal.

By Nancy Kellum Brown. In the science classroom, the commonly utilized tools of animal dissections and the removal of animals from their natural habitats are a staple of the learning environment. However, I am on a mission to replace the traditional practices. My mission is to teach compassion, conservation and the importance of all species in this miraculous world!